Bill Murray: 7 Moments that Prove He’s a Modern Folk Hero

Bill Murray has made countless contributions to TV and film. From breaking out as a star on Saturday Night Live to hit films ranging from the Ghostbusters franchise to Lost in Translation, he’s carved out a unique career many would dream of having.

However, in the past decade and a half, he’s somehow captured the zeitgeist of “going viral.” Murray has essentially become more myth than man. It’s been a truly impressive feat to experience with every wacky headline he makes. What other celebrity would have the guts to attempt a no-look putt during a high-profile pro-am tournament? (Spoiler: Yes, he sinks it, and he looks so cool doing it!)

Whether funny, absurd or just sweet, here are seven of the Bill Murray-est moments of all time in honor of his birthday today (September 21).

• Pretty Much Anything Involving the Chicago Cubs Winning the World Series in 2016

  There were so many incredible moments from the Cubs’ historic win, but who couldn’t be happy because Bill was happy? We bet every MLB team wishes they had a fan as iconic as the man who played Phil Connors. It certainly would make celebrations like this even more entertaining.

• His Cameo In ‘Zombieland’

  Truthfully, this might be one of the best film cameos of the new millennium. It’s simultaneously funny, surprising and a bit dark. This is literally everything a cameo should be.

• Honoring Harold Ramis at the Oscars

  Murray was presenting the Oscar for Best Cinematography with Amy Adams when he paid tribute to his late friend and collaborator. It was clearly an ad-lib, which likely made producers and showrunners nervous for a second. However, how could you not appreciate the sweetness of this moment?
  

• Attending the ‘Groundhog Day’ Musical…twice…in a row!

  In 2017, Murray carved out the time to see the critically acclaimed stage musical adaptation of Groundhog Day. Not only did he meet with the entire cast, but he came back the next day to watch the show again. What a guy for giving that cast an experience they’ll never forget!

• Anytime he sings or does karaoke

  Ever find yourself feeling low? Watch Bill Murray perform “Gloria,” and then all of a sudden, you have a new lease on life. We bet even the notoriously crotchety Van Morrison would appreciate this a little bit!
  

• Crashing random events

  Bachelor parties, engagement photos, a White House press briefing. Only Bill Murray could get away with this! (Seriously, only he could get away with this! It would almost be straight-up rude and tacky if anyone else even tried to pull off these stunts.)

• The fact there's now a documentary about him crashing random events

  Check out the trailer below for The Bill Murray Stories. The documentary gathers all of the dirt on Bill’s random moments that always make headlines. Imagine living in such a way that it inspires a light-hearted documentary.